The Minnesota Vikings released their Thursday injury report following practice, and some notable names, including Justin Jefferson, were on the list. This comes just three days before the team gets ready to take on the Miami Dolphins.
Linebacker Blake Cashman was limited in Thursday’s practice. Corner Charles Demmings, Jefferson, and punter Brett Thorson did not practice. Aaron Jones was also not present at practice as he was held out for rest.
Vikings Have Plethora Of Injuries Heading Into Game
The injury to Jefferson is perhaps the most notable. He is dealing with an ankle injury that he suffered in Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jefferson did not participate in practice on Wednesday either. Coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that tests showed a minor ankle sprain.
Demmings injured his hamstring in the second half of Sunday’s game. O’Connell indicated that the injury was not severe, but he does expect Demmings to miss Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.
Thorson is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury he suffered in the second week of the season against the Chicago Bears.
Cashman has been dealing with an elbow injury. He was a limited participant in both Wednesday and Thursday practices. He suffered the elbow injury during Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers. The playmaker had eight tackles and a sack prior to the injury.
Jones has been dealing with injuries throughout the course of the season. He tweaked his knee in the second week of the season against the Bears. He was able to play through it in Week 3, but the coaching staff wants to give him a bit more time to recover.
Justin Jefferson Injury Could Impact Vikings
The injury to Jefferson in particular is something that the Vikings should watch closely. Once Jefferson left the game on Sunday, the Vikings’ passing attack struggled. The Vikings finished the afternoon with only 230 yards of offense. This included a 2-for-15 conversion rate on third down. The team was unable to reach the red zone, and his absence was certainly felt.
From a pure statistical standpoint, Jefferson accounted for 38% of the Vikings’ entire receiving output for the first 2.5 games. This is certainly a big number, especially when you consider how dependent the Vikings are on Jefferson as an offensive weapon.
As far as the punting situation goes, the Vikings released punter Johnny Hekker from the 53-man roster earlier this week. However, he is still on the practice squad and could be called up in case of an emergency. This is certainly a notable piece of information, especially with Thorson’s injury. The Vikings brought in Hekker for a workout at the end of September, and the depth that he brings is important.
Overall, this is certainly an injury report filled with important names for the Vikings. The status of Jefferson in particular is going to be something worth watching. Jones appears to be just getting rest for now, so all may be well on the running back front by the time Sunday rolls around. Demming’s appears to be getting an extra day of rest, which is certainly not a negative, especially as the season begins to take its toll.
In any event, it seems like the Vikings will be banged up heading into Sunday’s showdown with the Dolphins. Defense has been the calling card for the team, and they may have to play another major role in Sunday’s game, with the offensive side of the ball banged up in particular.
Vikings Thursday Injury Report Brings New Justin Jefferson Update